I didn’t want to be one of these people wandering around the store with no clue and wind up with bags full of stuff we didn’t need. So when we went to buy the item we were in the store about an hour. It was full of Christmas shoppers so given that I thought it was not that long a wait. I experienced really no major hassle. Only thing was that they kept pushing the MobileMe and I repeatedly told them no. I figure it’s a kick back along with the One to one, which I did get since I’m a new mac user.

So we got what we needed and an employee actually wheeled our purchases to our car for us. I don’t know if this was just some Christmas thing or normal procedure, but it was really nice. That’s definitely something you don’t get at the big box stores.

The employee rang us up on his iphone and printed the receipt. We went over it with him. I got my new mac home and set up on my own. I will start the classes next week.

By the way, I did download the free 60 day trial of Mobile me. I actually do like that, but I wanted to make that decision on my own and not have it pushed on me at a store. It reminds me of the extended warranty plan Best Buy always tries to get you to buy. So overall it was a good experience.

Here’s my personal recount of a recent visit, where I purchased several items and found customer service to be courteous, efficient and generally spot on: http://brandingthroughpeople.com/2009/07/11/comparing-apples-to/

Ago

As for the iPod Touch availability pre-November, stores were getting sporadic shipments of 10-20 at a time and they’d be gone within an hour of opening. The staff is not made aware of future deliveries, their timing or contents and quantity Ironically, at the same time, you could buy it online at the same price and have it delivered within 5-10 days.

It’s very hard to be civil to every person who calls, inquiring about iPod Touch/iTouch/podTouch/phone-less iPhones/etc (yes, I was asked for all of those) inventory, then when told that there aren’t any in stock and you don’t know when the next shipment will come, they either: a) rudely hang up, b) berate you for wasting their time, or c) try to figure out the secret apple code phrase that will get them access to the super secret reserve inventory that all stores keep in case Steve walks in unannounced and screams “free iPods for everyone!”

It’s also equally hard to be genial when, in the middle of a 9-hour day, someone tries to grab you during a 15-minute break to ask a question that they could have just as easily asked someone who isn’t on break — I’m sure you really enjoy it when your boss/co-workers/clients/etc call you during your dinner to ask you a question they could have found the answer to on their own.

It’s also pretty amazing how everyone complains if you don’t answer their call within 2 rings, but the same people roll their eyes when you answer a call while they’re standing in line. (The phone at the store is constantly ringing.)

Anyway, the Concierge position is designed to alleviate a lot of these issues — I can’t say whether or not it’s working, as I left Apple shortly before the position came online.

If the card is signed and the cardholder refuses to produce ID, the transaction must proceed.

When I worked there, it was policy at the Apple Store to ask for identification, but it was also policy to just say OK and continue the transaction if the person declined.

I then stood in line and watched them demand identification from every customer, no matter what they were purchasing (it wasn’t just iphones). One credit card customer had clearly been doing his homework and pointed out they were not allowed to require additional identification for credit card purchases. He cited the merchant agreement which prohibited it, and was very pleasant and patient with the employees. He got bumped from one person to another, stalled very obviously by a “supervisor” who got caught in a lie because he couldn’t remember what story he’d been telling a few minutes earlier.

I got to watch all of this because the line was moving so slowly. Finally I just quietly put my would-be purchases back and left. The whole visit left a sour taste in my mouth and I have no desire to return to an Apple Store.

I don’t know what Apple was thinking with this move to do away with registers, or make them invisible. Offering the option to check out with a hand-held is great, but it shouldn’t be the default and registers should be identifiable as such. Why would you make it hard for your customers to give you money? Is this part of the “too smug to be polite, helpful, or informed about the merchandise” Apple stores seem to have adopted?